Marco Rubio - U.S. Senate - 2010

Friday, June 5, 2009
Contact: Brian Seithchik, (561) 213-3492, (202) 607-6702

Three months after Governor Charlie Crist campaigned for Barack Obama’s multi-billion dollar spending plan, Floridians have yet to feel any of the relief they were promised, and our state continues to lead the nation’s downward economic spiral.

Florida’s unemployment rate is almost a full percentage point higher than the national average. One in every 242 Florida homes is in foreclosure, the fourth highest rate in the nation. And a recent survey by the National Association of Business Economics predicts that Florida won’t experience an economic recovery until at least spring of 2010, a full six months after the rest of the country.

Today’s economic numbers are a stark reminder that no nation has ever taxed-and-spent its way into prosperity. More importantly, behind these numbers are real Floridians – families, businessmen and women, senior citizens – who are feeling real pain because the people they elected to stand and fight for them, have decided instead to stand alongside the wrongheaded economic policies coming out of our nation’s Capital.

Make no mistake, Florida will bounce back. Our economy will recover. And I have no doubt our best days are still ahead. But optimism and platitudes are no substitute for real leadership. I’m running for Senate to be a leader, to stand up for taxpayers, and to be a voice and a vote against the very kind of economic policies which we see reflected in today’s economic news.